Turn-based RPG Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 dated, coming to consoles and PC in April

Revealed at the Xbox Developer Direct, the gorgeous turn-based role-player Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is coming up this April.

Take your turn

Announced last year, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 hails from developer Sandfall Interactive and Kepler Interactive. The turn-based title is en eye-catching one, grabbing our attention right from its announcement, and now the title is heading towards a springtime launch.

Fresh news about the game came by way of yesterday’s Xbox Developer Direct online presentation, where Microsoft showed off several big time titles heading to the console this year. The assortment included Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, and it’s looking better than ever.

As mentioned, Sandfall’s newest is a turn-based RPG, so it’s definitely got some old school genre sensibilities. Not that it looks old school, as this game’s got some sharp looks. The showcase had the graphics on display for sure, but also spoke a little more about gameplay, and the cast you’ll be playing as. It includes two new playable characters too, just announced yesterday, with Monoco and Esquie.

In today’s presentation, Sandfall Interactive shared details about Expedition 33’s development origins, plus several new gameplay features sure to intrigue fans looking forward to the game’s upcoming release. Filmed on location at Sandfall Interactive’s studio in Montpellier, France, several members of the development team shared more detail on the game’s emotional story, stunning art direction inspired by Belle Epoque France, and its innovative reactive turn-based combat gameplay, which infuses traditional RPG mechanics with real-time defensive and offensive abilities. 

Additionally, the team revealed brand-new characters players will encounter during their adventure: the friendly, yet bloodthirsty, Monoco (voiced by Rich Keeble) and the larger-than-life Esquie (voiced by Maxence Cazorla). Monoco the Gestral joins the Expedition as a fully playable character, bringing his own unique playstyle to battles by transforming himself into the enemies the party encounters and using their abilities against them, while Esquie is an altogether more unusual character that players will befriend and use to discover the game’s explorable world. Throughout the game, players will unlock more abilities with Esquie, letting the Expedition climb aboard and traverse, swim, and soar across the game’s newly revealed overworld map. 

Reminiscent of classic RPGs that inspired Expedition 33’s turn-based gameplay, the world map gives players freedom to explore various new locations and secrets on their path to destroy the Paintress. Outside of rich level-based environments like Ancient Sanctuary and the Gestral Village, the overworld has unique discoverable caves and bespoke locations hosting challenging optional battles and side quests, providing extensive opportunities for players to test their mettle and master the game’s deep and rewarding character building mechanics. Players will also be able to set up camp on the overworld, taking time to reinforce their character weapons and builds, listen to the game’s stunning original score via an in-game record player, and have conversations with their teammates to learn more about their stories and motivations on their path to destroy the Paintress. 

Kepler Interactive press release

Getting in on the action

If you liked what you saw in the above, you won’t have long to wait for Clair Obscur: Expedition 33‘s debut. The role-playing game is launching for the Xbox Series X|S, PS5, and PC on April 24th, 2025. Xbox players who have Game Pass will find it included there as well, as a day one launch.

Along with the standard edition however, there’s also going to be a Digital Deluxe and a Collector’s edition landing. Both will include a host of additional content, and of course the CE comes packed with some physical goodies too.

Alongside the physical Standard Edition of the game, fans can also pre-order the premium Collector’s Edition of Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 for PlayStation 5 from today, which includes: 

• The base game 
• A 20.3cm hand-painted Monolith music box 
• A collectible Steelbook® case featuring Gustave, Maelle, and the Paintress 
• The Expeditioner’s Journal 48-page hardcover artbook 
• The “Flowers” Collection (six outfits and hairstyles inspired by the flowers of Lumière (DLC), plus six Gommage outfit variations (DLC)) 
• A “Clair” custom outfit for Maelle (DLC) 
• An “Obscur” custom outfit for Gustave (DLC)*. 

Fans in North America can pre-order and learn more about the physical editions of Expedition 33 exclusively via GameStop, while fans in Europe and select global markets can visit Laced Records. 

Additionally, fans can pre-order the digital Deluxe Edition of Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 from today, which includes: 

• The base game 
• The “Flowers” Collection (six outfits and hairstyles inspired by the flowers of Lumière (DLC), plus six Gommage outfit variations (DLC)) 
• A “Clair” custom outfit for Maelle (DLC) 
• An “Obscur” custom outfit for Gustave (DLC)*.  

Kepler Interactive press release

*Internet connection required for DLC items.